Takahiro Sekigawa

Nanocrystalline LPSO Mg-Zn-Y-Al alloys with high mechanical strength and corrosion resistance

Interests in magnesium alloys increase as eco-material for its lightweight, and many investigations have been carried out on the development of manufacturing processes and alloy development. In 2001, Mg97Zn1Y2 (at%) alloy with a tensile yield strength of 610 MPa and an elongation of more than 5 % has been developed by rapidly solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M) processing. The developed alloy was characterized by a novel phase with long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure. Recently, we have investigated new compositions for LPSO RS P/M Mg-Zn-Y-X alloys in order to improve the corrosion resistance of the RS P/M Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy with maintaining the superior mechanical properties. Consequently, we have developed a RS P/M Mg96.7Zn0.85Y2Al0.45 alloy with high strength and high corrosion resistance. The RS P/M Mg96.7Zn0.85Y2Al0.45 alloy contained the LPSO phase and exhibited a tensile strength of 525 MPa, an elongation of 9 % and a fatigue strength of 325 MPa, which were similar to those of the RS P/M Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy. However, the corrosion resistance of the RS P/M Mg96.7Zn0.85Y2Al0.45 alloy was 1.5 times that of the RS P/M Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy. The specific tensile yield strength, the specific fatigue strength and the corrosion resistance of the RS P/M Mg96.7Zn0.85Y2Al0.45 alloy were about 1.7 times, 1.8 times, and twice those of extra-super-duralumin (7075-T6 or 7075-T73), respectively.

Quest and Evaluation of Topcoat Materials for Environmental Barrier Coatings of SiC/SiC Composites

SiC fiber reinforced SiC matrix (SiC/SiC) composites are one of the most promising materials for high temperature structural applications such as power generation and propulsion systems. SiC/SiC composites are, however, susceptible to accelerated attacks in water vapor environments through oxidation and volatilization reaction. For protection from such attacks, Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) are indispensable. We have investigated some oxides and rare-earth silicates as topcoat candidate materials for EBCs. Topcoat materials must be stable in the high-water-vapor pressurized environments at high temperatures. Also, it is important that the thermal expansion coefficient of topcoat materials is similar to that of the SiC/SiC composites. In this study, first, zirconium oxides, lutetium silicates and yttrium silicates were selected as topcoat candidate materials. They were exposed in a water-containing atmosphere at a temperature of 1673 K for 100 h under a total pressure 0.96 MPa. Mass changes, structure of crystals and microstructures were investigated after the exposure experiments in order to evaluate the thermal stability of these materials. After their estimation, lutetium silicates were considered to be promising for topcoat materials. Then, lutetium silicates were coated as the topcoat of an EBC system on SiC/SiC composites, and their fracture toughness and microstructures were investigated after exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere. The evaluation results of the topcoat materials are reported in this paper.